<img src="http://www.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Fresno-SJVC-Surgical-Tech-students1-300x250.jpg" alt="Fresno SJVC Surgical Tech students" width="300" height="250" class="alignleft wp-image-13421 size-thumbnail" />The <a title="Click to learn more about SJVC's surgical technology program." href="http://www.sjvc.edu/surgical-technology">Surgical Technology program</a> at the <a title="Click to learn more about SJVC's Fresno campus." href="http://www.sjvc.edu/fresno">Fresno campus</a> has received the annual merit award from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) for achieving a 100% pass rate on the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam. The most recent exam cycle ran from Aug. 1, 2013 through July 31, 2014.

Fourteen Surgical Tech grads from the Fresno campus tested for certification during that time frame, and all fourteen passed this exacting exam to take their places in the upper echelon of their chosen field.

“Certification as a surgical technologist demonstrates achievement of academic success and positions our graduate to be successful in a competitive job market,” says Teri Junge, Surgical Technology Program Director for SJVC’s Fresno campus. “Many employers require certification as a condition of employment.”

The CST examination is the only fully accredited examination by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for surgical technologists in the nation. NCCA accreditation assures that the CST examination meets stringent standards of examination development and administration.

Graduates from SJVC’s 16-month Surgical Technology program who obtain national certification demonstrate, by examination, their understanding of the basic competencies for safe patient care in the operating room. The Certified Surgical Technologist is widely recognized in the health care community as the foremost credential for surgical technologists in the nation.

Certification exhibits professional pride, the desire to be recognized for mastery of surgical competencies, and most importantly, an ongoing commitment to quality patient care.

A 100% pass rate for Surgical Technology program graduates is testament to the high caliber of both students and program.